University Hosts Community Appreciation, Farewell Event for VC Tagwira
Even during his toughest days as
Vice Chancellor of Africa University,
Dr. Fanuel Tagwira exhibited a faithinspired optimism, and his passion for
the student experience was evident in
every decision.
“Professor Tagwira served the
University community during a very
difficult time and his ever-smiling
face gave hope to many,” said Mrs.
Grace Muradzikwa, Board secretary
and chairperson of the Leadership
Transition Committee.
Tagwira, a pioneer faculty member
and expert in soil chemistry, joined
Africa University to help launch the
school of agriculture in 1992. He rose
to professorial rank and served as
dean of the faculty for five years.
Tagwira took the helm as Interim
Vice Chancellor of Africa University in

Professor Fanuel Tagwira

January 2008 and was formally elected to the role in April 2009.
At the time, Zimbabwe was in the
midst of an unprecedented economic
downturn. Mr. James Salley, the uni-

Bishop’s Offering to Support Scholarships at AU
Students at
Africa University
will benefit from
donations collected as part
of the Florida
Conference’s
annual
giving
ministry in June.
Half of the funds Rev. Armando Rodriguez,
collected around Jr. with Salvador Chicosseno,
the annual con- an Angolan who is currently
ference gather- studying at AU with support
ing will go toward from the Florida Conference.
scholarships, said Bishop Ken Carter.
The rest will help kick-start a new intern
program for young adults willing to serve in
selected communities in Florida.
“Our generosity through the Annual
Conference offering will transform those
who are equipped as servant leaders, both
on the African continent and in our own
state, and also those who will be blessed by
their witness,” Carter said.
“We are asking local churches to receive
an offering on June 8 (Pentecost) as a

participation in this expression of God’s
mission.”
Also known as the “bishop’s offering,”
the annual giving ministry netted nearly
$130,000 in 2013.
The scholarships to be funded through
the bishop’s offering would go to students in the university’s Institute of Peace,
Leadership and Governance and the School
of Theology.
“We were impressed with the profound
work of the Institute for Peace, Leadership
and Governance,” Carter said. “It is clear
that Africa University is equipping leaders
who will return to their homes and communities having been transformed by strategic
learning and deepened relationships.”
Last fall, the conference kicked off a drive
to increase its support of Africa University.
In February, Bishop Carter led a 10-person
group made up of clergy and lay leaders
on a visit to the AU campus to learn more
about the needs of AU’s students and faculty.

-Adapted from an article by Susan Green, managing editor of the Florida Conference Connection.
Photo by Rev. Armando Rodriquez, Jr.

versity’s chief advancement officer,
noted that Tagwira worked tirelessly
and kept Africa University open while
other universities in Zimbabwe shut
their doors.
“Very few people have any idea or
knowledge of what it took from him to
maintain an institution operating every
day, putting three meals on the table
in the dining hall, and having employees never miss a pay check, during
the darkest hours of the economy of
Zimbabwe,” said Salley.
A community appreciation and farewell event for Dr. Tagwira is scheduled
for June 6th in Mutare, Zimbabwe. His
last official function as Vice Chancellor
is the 2014 Graduation Ceremony,
which takes place on June 7th. The
incoming vice chancellor, Dr. Munashe
Furusa will assume office on July 1st.

Choir to Visit BaltimoreWashington and Florida

The Africa University Choir begins
a month-long USA tour on May 27th.
The choir will perform at the annual
conference gatherings and do local
church itineration in the BaltimoreWashington Conference and the
Florida Conference.
There are 15 students from eight
African countries in this year’s touring choir, which is being led by the
director, Mr. Tendekai Kuture. Choir
members perform in more than 12
African languages and share a passion for music ministry.

One Washerwoman’s Mite (Might)
“Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave
extravagantly what she couldn’t afford---she gave her all” - Mark 12:41-44, The Message
In the late 1990’s, one woman’s radical
the University of Southern Mississippi at
act of generosity sent tremors throughout
Hattiesburg at her death. Miss McCarty
the philanthropic world. Miss Oseola
died in 1999 at the age of 91. In 2001
McCarty was born in the Mississippi Delta
Worth Magazine listed her sixth of 100
at the turn of the 20th
influential individuals of the 20th
Century. Her formal
century who changed the way
education ended in the
Americans think about money.
sixth grade when she
Miss McCarty, by her example,
left school to care for
forced us to re-think what we
an ailing aunt.
can really afford to give to chariFor the next sixty
table institutions.
or more years, she
For more information about
worked as a washerAfrica University’s planned givwoman, living frugally
ing program, please call or
and saving most of her
write our Director of Planned
earnings. After retiring
Giving, Elaine Jenkins, Africa
in 1994 at the age of
University Development Office,
86, she decided that
P. O. Box 340007, Nashville,
she would give her
TN, 37203-0007, 615/340-7428
Miss Oseola McCarty
life’s savings to her
(telephone), 615/340-7290 (fax),
hometown university to establish a scholejenkins@gbhem.org (e-mail address). Or
arship fund for financially needy students.
visit the planned giving website at http://
She wanted to give to others the chance
www.africau.plannedgiving.org/ to disfor an education that she never had.
cover the many ways to support Africa
She established an irrevocable living
University with a planned gift.
trust to transfer her life’s savings to

June Graduation to Push AU Alumni to 5,000+
am really grateful and
I thank God for this
achievement in my life.”
Scholarship gifts from
the Indiana Conference
and from a local United
Methodist congregation Gracia Mbayi
located near Santa Ana,
CA helped to support Gracia Mbayi as
she pursued her four-year undergraduate degree at Africa University.

Matching Gift Deadline:
June 30, 2014

AU NEEDS YOUR GIFT
NOW!
The ELMA
Foundation
has challenged
Africa University
(AU) to raise
$ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0
in gifts from
African donors
over a 14-month Zimbabwean businessperson,
Patricia Madondo, presperiod. ELMA is Mrs.
ents a gift to AU Chancellor,
matching every Bishop David K. Yemba.
donation
AU
receives from qualified African donors,
dollar for dollar, until June 30, 2014.
Were you born in Africa? Are you
an Africa University graduate? Are you
employed by an African company or organization?
If you answered “yes” to any of the
questions, your gift counts! Give now.
We’re about two-thirds of the way to
our goal of $500,000. But, there are
only six weeks left to get your gift in and
get it matched. It’s time to step up and
give! 100% of your gift will go to Africa
University, and your gift will trigger another gift of the same amount.
To give online, visit: www.supportafricauniversity.org or make your
check payable to ‘Africa University” and
mail it to the Africa University Development
Office, P. O. Box 340007, Nashville, TN
37203-0007.

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry
The United Methodist Church
P O Box 340007
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0007

Africa University’s 20th commencement exercise is scheduled
for Saturday, June 7th in Mutare,
Zimbabwe. More than 450 young men
and women are preparing for graduation day this year. Among them is
24-year-old Gracia Kapinga Mbayi, a
Computer Information Systems major.
“Graduating in 2014 is a dream come
true because I would not have made it
without a scholarship,” said Mbayi. “I